Tasty Trek - About Us

Click our pictures to hear our stories

Landey Patton
Age: 23
Occupation: Graduand
Email: flp870@googlemail.com
Phone: (+1) 703 777 4893 (US) - (+44) 020 7222 3218 (UK)
Curriculum Vitae (Resumé): pdf download

Short Life History:
I was born in Glendale California on the 15th of June 1987. I moved to the United Kingdom when I was 7 and attended 'prep-school' at Westminster Abbey Choir School where I learnt the cello, piano and sang in the boys choir for dignitaries such as the Queen and various Prime Ministers amongst other heads of state. By the time I completed my Common Entrance exams and landed a full music scholarship to The Kings School Canterbury I was grade 5 on the cello and was living in Denmark. At Kings I continued my musical education but my interest shifted to sports, particularly; rugby, squash, rock climbing, and skiing. My academic choices reflected my desire to be outdoors; Biology, Geography, and Geology all had exciting and demanding field trips around the U.K.
After spending a year living in Austria I decided that I would do a bachelors degree in Geology at Imperial College London. Imperial has over 350 clubs and societies, so I could pick and choose what I was going to spend my spare time doing. I was an active member of the Outdoor Club and I held committee positions in the Parkour & Freerunning club for 3 years running. When I finished my third year and my Bachelors with a 2:1 I decided that I would stay on an extra year and get my Masters at Imperial.
Over the last 2 years I have, increasingly, felt the drive to do something epic. When Anders showed me the Te Ararora project I agreed that this would be a fitting 'epic', and coming up to graduation this was the perfect time to do it...

Interests:

Music (Playing)	Cello, Guitar, Singing, Bass Guitar, Ukulele, Piano
Sports	Skiing, Parkour, Rugby, Squash, Mountain-Biking, Sailing, Climbing/Walking
Other	Geology, Food, Nature and Environment, Computing

Links I like:

Alexander (Anders) Ford
Age: 22
Occupation: Graduand
Phone:(0044)2070640331
Mobile: (0044)7702024617
Email: anders676@hotmail.co.uk
Curriculum Vitae: pdf download

Short History:
I was born in Exeter, England, on the 5th Sept 1987 but swiftly went back to Dubai, where I grew up until 2000. Growing up in Dubai I can remember spend spending much of my time swimming in the sea and going out on epic adventures to the desert or the wadis. It was here where I started loving the outdoors. After completing my first year of secondary school at The English College, Dubai, I moved to De-Aston School, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire in the northeast of England where I finished my secondary education with A levels in Chemistry, Physics, Math and Design Technology. Lincolnshire is a flat and very open part of England; during my time here I was exposed to a completely different environment to that of Dubai. Still being a kid I would play outdoors as much as I could, walking to nearby villages and exploring the surrounding woodlands. Also at De-Aston I took part in a one month World Challenge expedition around sothern Brazil, this had a very big effect on me and is where my thirst for exploration really accelerated. In 2006 I moved down to London where I read Materials Science and Engineering at Imperial College London. During my time at Imperial I did a lot of European travelling during my living & working internships as well as holidays. In 2010 I obtained a MEng with Honours yet I don't full know what I want to do with my life. Hopefully on this trek I'll discover more about myself, giving me a clearer view of the direction I wish my life to take.
I would say that I thoroughly enjoy the outdoors, occasionally hiking and camping, but I would not label myself as an outdoor 'nut', like those who spend every weekend in the snow peaked mountains. Through this walk I would show that anyone with some determination and a bit of common sense can achieve bold, challenging and extraordinary things.
For more information on me, please visit my Couchsurfing page.

Words on Te Araroa:
During my first year at Imperial College (2006) I was inspired by Karl Bushby and the ongoing Goliath Expedition to walk round the world...I wanted to walk around the world too. After mentioning this to my mother, she quite rightly suggested that I might want to start with something a little smaller and see how I feel. Wracking my brain trying to think of where to start...John O'Groates to Lands End...no...too small; across Australia...no...not enough water and very dangerous. A year later, after spending a month visiting family on New Zealand's North Island, I settled on walking across New Zealand. It was serendipitous. It had plenty of water, beautiful and challenging landscapes, nothing in the bush that could kill me and an abundance of friends and family to visit. It is after this I conveniently discovered that the Te Araroa trail was being constructed.
Now 4 years after the idea was conceived...it is time to start organizing.

Links i like:

TED - Bill Stone explores the world's deepest caves

Damienmarc (DM) Ford
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Phone: (0044) 207 064 0331
Email: damien_hurley_252@hotmail.com

Short History:
I was born in Swindon, England on the 5th of August 1991; however very shortly after my birth I went to live in Dubai until 2007. Living in Dubai has given me the opportunity to experience many different cultures because of the diversity of the population. In addition Dubai resides very close to Asia and other Middle Eastern countries, this offered me the privilege to travel to countries such as Thailand, Indonesia and even Kazakhstan by the age of 16. I love to travel because it broadens my knowledge of the world and helps me develop as a person through experience and understanding.

During secondary school I attended The English College, Dubai and finished my GCSE's. It was around this time I realized I loved to be outdoors because I spent a great amount of time quad biking or dune bashing in the desert with my family. Furthermore as preparation for future travel or camping I successfully completed a Duke of Edinburgh, Silver Award with English College. Soon after my GCSE's I went to De-Aston School in Lincolnshire, North England and attended as a boarder. Again I was surrounded by different cultures, such as Chinese, Nigerian and German. I finished my A-levels in Geography, Business studies and Design Technology.

Unlike many I knew what I wanted to do at university because I loved doing Design Tech. I decided to do Product design at university because it gives me the opportunity to visually communicate my ideas into physical concepts allowing me to improve the life of consumers, whether this is with humor in the form of the product or with its function to make it more efficient. However being a designer means more than this, because I can change how a product is made, what it is made of, and what happens to it once its usefulness has expired. This is because a designer has to think about social aspects of the people making the products and the environmental aspects of its production and once it is no longer in use. I have been unconditionally accepted to do product design at Brunel University, starting in September 2011.

I have recently completed an Art and Design Foundation Diploma at Lincoln College, where I attained a Distinction for my final major project 'A collection of vases'. I loved this course because it developed my conceptual understanding of design and consistently challenged me to resolve problems from concept to realization through technical understanding with the inventive use of appropriate materials, methods and technologies. Overall the course has taught me that the demonstration of analysis and evaluation is far more valuable than the final outcome.

So, now that I have finally completed my foundation course, its time to chill out and have as much fun as possible on my gap year!

Words on Te Araroa:
My brother and I where in New Zealand one summer and we were driving down 90-mile beach towards Cape Reinga, it was at this time he said, "Man! How epic would it be to walk New Zealand?" to which I replied "Very!" however to me this was only a notion; but to Anders this was an extraordinary challenge where he could demonstrate initiative and independence in a truly beautiful country. Soon after we got back Anders told me about the Te Araroa trail, which as he said was conveniently being constructed. A tramping trail 3000 kilometres, from Cape Reinga to the Bluff, which goes down the coastline, through forests, over volcanoes and river valleys, across seven cities! How could I resist such a challenge and with my brother! I really appreciate the chance to gain new experience and practical skills, which hopefully I will be able to use later in life, but also in my design career.

Links I Like: